It may now be easier for students who come to Canada for a master’s or PhD program to obtain permanent residence (PR).
On February 15, 2024, Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) enacted a Post-Graduation Work Permit
(PGWP) policy that was first announced on January 22 as one of many changes
coming to Canada’s international student system.
This policy now means that international
student graduates of master’s degree programs at Canadian Designated Learning
Institutions (DLIs) – the only post-secondary institutions authorized by IRCC
to accept international students – are eligible for a three-year PGWP. This is
true even for students studying in master’s programs that are two years or less
in length.
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Note: Before February 15, the validity period of a PGWP
for master’s students was directly correlated to the length of the program of
study.
How Does This Make It Easier to
Obtain PR in Canada?
The value of a PGWP lies in that it
allows international student graduates to work in Canada once they complete a
PGWP-eligible program at a DLI.
This Canadian work experience is
valuable to those who later intend to pursue PR because many of Canada’s
immigration pathways either require or reward such experience.
For example, Canada’s popular Express
Entry application management system, which prioritizes a candidate’s
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, rewards candidates with a minimum of
80 additional CRS points for work experience acquired in Canada before they
apply for PR.
This point value is for Express Entry
candidates without a spouse or common-law partner under the Core/Human Capital
Factors section of the Express Entry system. Candidates in other circumstances,
such as those applying alongside their spouse/partner, may receive a different
number of CRS points.
Therefore, this expanded PGWP policy
will make it easier for eligible students to obtain PR because it allows them
more time to acquire valuable Canadian work experience, which they can then use
on their immigration application.
Other Ways IRCC Makes It Easier for
Master’s and PhD Students to Immigrate to Canada
Express Entry’s CRS System Rewards
Higher Education
Further to the value of a master’s or
PhD for Canadian immigration, the Express Entry CRS system rewards higher
levels of education.
Specifically, students with master’s and
PhD degrees are rewarded with the two highest CRS scores under “level of
education” by the Express Entry system.
· Master’s students: 126 points with a spouse/common-law partner; 135 points without
· PhD students:
140 points with a spouse/common-law partner; 150 points without
Simply, more CRS points give candidates
a better chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian PR.
Many Provinces/Territories Have
Dedicated Provincial Nominee Program Streams for Master’s/PhD Students
Students who obtain either a master’s or
PhD degree in Canada also open themselves up to various additional Provincial
Nominee Program (PNP) streams.
Note: 11 of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories,
excluding Quebec and Nunavut, operate a PNP.
This is because many of Canada’s top
newcomer destination provinces, including Ontario and British Columbia, operate
specific streams for students who graduate from these programs.
· Ontario:
Ontario Masters Graduate Stream and Ontario PhD Graduate Stream
· British Columbia: International Post-Graduate Category
· Manitoba:
Graduate Internship Pathway